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Turkish Press Review, 07-01-09
From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>
Summary of the political and economic
news in the Turkish press this morning
09.01.2007
CONTENTS
[01] SEZER ARRIVES IN ITALY
[02] PM ERDOGAN: "DEBATES OVER MAY'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ARE VIRTUAL"
[03] FM GUL SEEKS MEETING WITH RICE
[04] CICEK: "TURKEY HASN'T GOTTEN THE SUPPORT IT NEEDS TO FIGHT TERRORISM"
[05] EGYPTIAN FM TO VISIT TURKEY
[06] TUZMEN: "TURKEY TARGETS $100 BLN IN EXPORTS IN 2007"
[07] THE STORY OF A BRIDGE
[01] SEZER ARRIVES IN ITALY
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer arrived in Italy yesterday. Italian
Transportation Minister Alessandro Bianchi welcomed Sezer, accompanied by
Turkish Presidential Secretary General Kemal Nehrozoglu, at Rome's Ciampino
military airport. Sezer attended a dinner hosted by Turkish Ambassador in
Rome Ugur Ziyal, and is set to start his formal meetings today. Sezer and
Italian President Giorgio Napolitano will lead the meetings between Turkish
and Italian delegations, and later will hold a joint news conference.
/Milliyet/
[02] PM ERDOGAN: "DEBATES OVER MAY'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ARE VIRTUAL"
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday attended a meeting of the
Turkish Exporters' Assembly (TIM). Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin,
State Minister for Foreign Trade Kursad Tuzmen, chief European Union
negotiator Ali Babacan, Justice Minister Cemil Cicek, Interior Minister
Abdulkadir Aksu, Industry and Commerce Minister Ali Coskun, Finance
Minister Kemal Unakitan and Agriculture and Rural Affairs Minister Mehdi
Eker also attended the meeting held at Ankara's Sheraton hotel. Taking the
floor at the meeting, Erdogan said that he was also very proud of advances
in Turkey's exports parallel to democratic reforms and growth. He said that
they broke a record on exports last year with a total of $85 billion and
that this success would also continue in the future. Also touching on May's
presidential election, Erdogan described the debates over the election as
"virtual." Stating that the presidential election process would start in
April, Erdogan – a likely candidate -- added, "Each party will take
necessary steps when the process starts. Work on the election will be
conducted in April by the Parliament. Parliament will be on recess in July,
and afterwards the general election campaign will start." General elections
are set for November. Erdogan also said that he had spoken to Special Envoy
for countering terrorism Edip Baser and will continue to do so and that
abolishing the post was out of the question. /Turkiye/
[03] FM GUL SEEKS MEETING WITH RICE
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul is planning a visit to the US next month. The
terrorist PKK and the Armenian issue will be up for discussion during his
visit. Gul is also expecting an appointment from US Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice. Gul will reportedly tell Rice about Ankara's concerns on
recent developments in Iraq and the referendum set for late this year in
Kirkuk. /Sabah/
[04] CICEK: "TURKEY HASN'T GOTTEN THE SUPPORT IT NEEDS TO FIGHT TERRORISM"
Turkey hasn't gotten the support it needs from other countries in the fight
against terrorism, government spokesman Cemil Cicek told reporters after
the Cabinet meeting yesterday. Justice Minister Cicek said that retired
Gen. Edip Baser remains Turkey's special representative for countering
terrorism. "A single person or a single measure cannot suffice in the fight
against terrorism," he added. "This issue always tops Turkey's agenda."
/Turkiye/
[05] EGYPTIAN FM TO VISIT TURKEY
Egypt's Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit will come to Ankara today for a
three-day official visit. Gheit is expected to meet with Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul. Talks
between Gheit and Turkish officials will center on bilateral issues as well
as regional and international matters, including Iraq, the Middle East and
the Israeli-Palestinian dispute. /Cumhuriyet/
[06] TUZMEN: "TURKEY TARGETS $100 BLN IN EXPORTS IN 2007"
Turkey is targeting exports of $100 billion in 2007, State Minister for
Foreign Trade Kursad Tuzmen said yesterday. Taking the floor at the opening
of a Turkish Exporters' Assembly (TIM) meeting, Tuzmen said that Turkey's
economic growth has continued for 19 quarters without interruption. Tuzmen
said that he expected imports to reach $135 billion in 2006 and predicted
the trade deficit would be 22% at the end of 2006 (compared to 22.8% at end-
2005). "Turkey has reached such a level in exports that it now sells over
20,000 different goods to more than 200 countries," he said. Tuzmen
predicted a serious improvement in that ratio in 2007, due to a slowdown in
domestic demand and an anticipated easing of energy prices. /The New
Anatolian/
FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
[07] THE STORY OF A BRIDGE
BY ERDAL SAFAK (SABAH)
Columnist Erdal Safak comments on the issue of demolishing Lokmaci Bridge,
which is located between the two sides on Cyprus. A summary of his column
is as follows:
"Lokmaci Bridge in Lefkosa, located between the Turkish and Greek Cypriot
sides, is now swarming with foreign and domestic journalists. All the
reporters ask everybody who crosses the bridge if it will be demolished or
not. If things go on this way, Lokmaci will be more famous than the Kwai
Bridge. Lokmaci is an important issue but there are certain odd details
about it. During the Christmas massacre of 1963, Turkish Cypriots
established a barrier in the area which today is called the Green Line. The
barrier, which took its name from a local Armenian seller of Lokma cakes,
was protected by Turkish security officers until the 1974 Cyprus Peace
Operation. Afterwards, it was transferred to the responsibility of the
armed forces. Meanwhile, the Greek Cypriots established their own barriers
and thus a bilateral separation emerged.
Although the peace and unification plan prepared by UN Secretary-General
Kofi Annan was rejected by the Greek Cypriots in an April 2004 referendum,
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Mehmet Ali Talat, who
has continued the TRNC's policy of opening up barriers, removed the Lokmaci
Bridge as a gesture at the end of 2005. However, there was a problem. The
region was both a shopping area and a military zone. In other words, people
were shopping there, while there were armed patrols. This situation was
scaring Greek Cypriots who went to the Turkish side to shop. The solution
was to build a bridge so civilians could pass on the upper level and
soldiers below. This idea was quickly implemented thanks to funds provided
by the Turkish Embassy's Aid Foundation. Small shop owners enjoyed this
situation like a festival.
Then, as part of solution policies, Talat decided to dismantle Lokmaci
Bridge in order to open a new passage between the two sides and end Greek
Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos' complaints that Turks were disturbing
the buffer zone. The UN, US and EU applauded this decision. The EU even
wanted to pay for the dismantling and promised to give 100 euros for this.
Again small shop owners welcomed the decision. In sum, Lokmaci Gate was
established with Turkish Republic funds and it will be destroyed with EU
funds. Shop owners celebrated while it was being established and destroyed.
Papadopoulos first expressed his approval and then said that if it is
destroyed, he would remove their barrier. However, when Greek Cypriot shop
owners said that the Turkish side was cheaper, he changed his mind and made
the situation more difficult by saying that the soldiers in the area should
withdraw, mines and dangerous substances should be cleared, buildings on
both sides should be repaired, and door front symbols of the ‘so-called'
Turkish state should be removed. After he laid down these conditions, Greek
Cypriot shop owners started to celebrate. In other words, Turkish shop
owners are happy that Lokmaci Bridge will be removed and Greek Cypriot shop
owners are glad that their own barriers aren't being destroyed. The current
situation is this. Work to remove Lokmaci Bridge will start today. However,
no new gate will be opened. Is this situation at all understandable?"
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